Asparagus, Spinach & Edamame Pesto Pasta

Max has developed an aversion to meat. Lilly is three and has an aversion to…well…most things. Especially vegetables. This complicates dinnertime a bit.

Luckily, no one is averse to pasta. Ever. Pesto remains one of my go-to choices for the easy/healthy/kid-friendly trifecta. Blending some asparagus, a handful of baby spinach, a few cloves of garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in the Vitamix has long been a favorite strategy for fight-free dinnertime veggie consumption. After figuring out that edamame is one of the few proteins that Max will eat, I started tossing some of those into the mix as well.

Behold — asparagus, spinach and edamame pesto. Toss with hot pasta, add a handful of steamed edamame and asparagus tips, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan and dinner is ready.

Cover securely and blend until mixture in smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve the consistency of a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use. (Pesto may be covered tightly and refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen for up to 2 months).

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Add reserved asparagus tips and edamame to boiling water during the lasts 4 minutes of cooking. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Drain pasta and veggies and add pesto sauce. Toss to combine, adding some of the pasta cooking water if needed to achieve a smooth consistency.